Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London - University Library

LIXNEA^' SOCIEXi' OF LONDON. 17
efficiency, and reorganised aci-ordingly : it has, I think, been more
fortunate than some of them in attaining its object. An ahiiost
incredible amount of work has had to be done for the purpose oi
rendering more accessible the books and collections of the Society,
to the great convenience of Fellows making use of them. Moreover,
it has been of considerable advantage to the transaction
of the business of the Society to have secured the regular attendance
of a responsible officer who is also a member of Council and
is therefore in a position to act with authority.
The scientific work of the Society has shown increasing activity ;
the supply of interesting and important papers calling for publication
having been such as to tax our financial resources to the
utmost. In addition to the ordinary publications, the Society
is issuing (with the assistance of a graut from the Royal Society)
the concluding parts of Messrs. Forbes and Hemsley's " Enumeration
of Chinese Plants,'* forming "Vol. 36 of our Botanical
Journal : the completion of this important work, which has been
so long delaj'ed, is a matter of congratulation to all concerned.
Daring the latter half of the Session the Society has most
unfortunately been depi'ived of the valuable services of its
Zoological Secretary, Professor Howes, who has been compelled
by ill-health to give up work for a time, I know that I am only
echoing the sentiments of all present today, when I express the
sympathy which I feel for him, and the hope that he may soon
be restored to his former health and usefulness. In Professor
liowes's absence, the other officers of the Society have done their
best to carry on his work, and in this the}" have been most
kindly assisted by some of the Fellows.
I take this opportunity of formally announcing that the
Linnean Medal this year has been awarded by the Council to
Dr. M. C. Cooke, who has been an Associate of the Society for
over twenty -five years, and is so well known as a high authority in
the department of Mycology.
There must always be an element of sadness in our Anniversary
Meetings, for it is then that we are reminded of the losses that
the Society has sustained. This year the hand of death has
fallen but lightly upon us, and yet we have much to regret. In
Dr. Prior we have lost a Fellow of more than fifty years'
standing, whose name will always be associated with this period
of British Botany. He sliowed his unabated interest, in the
welfare of the Society by a bequest of ,£100. He has fortunately
left behind him an autobiographical sketch which reveals how
active and interesting a life his was. Other old Fellows who
have gone from us are Sir Charles Shelley, the Rev. T. Wiltshire,
who was so long the Secretary of the Ray Society, and William
Bull, so well known as a horticulturist : of more recent date were
Charles P. Hobkirk, the eminent bryologist, and Charles Maries,
the successful plant-collector.
Until a short time ago, I had hoped that I might be able
to announce at this meeting that all our Foreign Members
LIKN. SOC. PROCEEDINGS.—SESSION 1902-1903. C